About James L.
James L. Volling has spent a career that began in the corridors of the federal judiciary and moved into long-term private practice. He came to law after an undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1976 and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in 1979. Those early years set the shape of his legal path.
After law school he took two prestigious clerkships. He served the year after graduation for Judge Roger Robb on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The following year he clerked for Chief Justice Warren E. Burger at the United States Supreme Court. Those postings placed him at the center of federal appellate work at an early stage in his career.
Volling moved into private practice after his clerkships. He became a partner at Faegre & Benson LLP in 1987. Later records show him as a partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP in 2012. Over decades in those firms he occupied senior roles and worked on matters that required deep courtroom and appellate experience.
He remains active in the Minnesota legal community. He holds membership in the Minnesota State Bar. That affiliation reflects his ongoing licensure and participation in state bar activities and standards.
Colleagues and clients have referred to him as a steady presence at firms that have evolved through mergers and changes in the national landscape of law practice. He has navigated transitions inside large firms while retaining a role as a partner and counselor to clients. His career arc shows continuity: strong academic credentials, federal clerkships and long service in major law firms.
Outside of titles, Volling’s background suggests particular familiarity with federal courts and appellate procedure, owing to his clerkships and subsequent practice. He has worked at firms that handle a breadth of commercial and litigation matters, and his experience spans the institutional and practical sides of high-level legal work.
Now listed with Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, he continues to practice in Minnesota. His current practice focuses on advising clients and handling matters out of the firm's Minnesota office.
